The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide on Monday backed the Chukwuma Soludo administration in Anambra State, saying it is satisfied with its modest achievements so far.
The acting National Youth leader, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, who disclosed this during a press conference in Awka, said the submission followed a 5-day project inspection tour in Anambra State with a focus on the projects and programs of the administration from 2022 till date.
He listed the Governor’s achievements, which include security, education, healthcare, and youth development.
He called for continued support for the governor’s great visions to build a better state, just as he directed State and local Leaderships of the body in the State to canvass support for the Administration across the 21 LGAs and 326 political wards in the State ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Council elections.
Acknowledging the troubling security situation in the State prior to Soludo’s emergence, which saw hoodlums overrun about eight LGAs, Okpalaezeukwu urged the governor to unveil a new wage package for civil servants in line with the new Minimum Wage Act by the Federal Government to ameliorate the harsh economic realities presently ravaging the country.
Okpalaezeukwu said that as the apex youth leadership organization in Igbo land, they consider it a crucial responsibility to regularly monitor developmental programs across Igbo land in order to have firsthand information on how the elected representatives deploy public resources at their disposal for the benefit or otherwise of Ala Igbo and Ndigbo.
This exercise, he said, is important in helping them design our public enlightenment and mobilization programs for Igbo youths worldwide.
“30 months after the inauguration of this administration, we are delighted to return to a rapidly changing Anambra State under the governance model as championed by His Excellency Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
“Over the last five days, we have been going around Anambra State to physically inspect and confirm the existence of the numerous projects that the Solution government is putting in place for the benefit of Ndi Anambra.
“We are impressed with the administration’s passion for youth development, as demonstrated through its targeted programs for the youths of Anambra State.
“Some of these programs include, the One Youth, Two Skills program Phase 1&2 of the administration, which aims to empower our teeming youths with relevant and life-changing skills that could turn them from job applicants to job creators, and from poor, struggling youths, to powerful wealth creators.
“We are happy to confirm that more than 5000 Anambra youths, both indigenes and residents have so far benefited from this program.
“We are also delighted to learn through our interaction with our brother, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba, that the Governor is not resting on his oars in his determination to empower our youths, as he shared other forthcoming youth empowerment programs being designed by this administration.
“We are also impressed by the Solution government’s diligent implementation of the free education programme to our children from Primary School to Junior Secondary school. His Excellency’s huge investments in the education sector are also commendable.
“The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education programme, the massive employment of about 5000 teachers for Anambra public schools, the upgrading of public infrastructure, review of the Anambra School Curriculum to better reflect the realities and demands of the 21st century, the establishment of the Anambra State Education Advisory Council, the equipment of public libraries with basic books and the provision of laptop computers and wifi to schools in Anambra, are among the many mouthwatering improvements we noticed in Anambra education sector under the Solution Government,” he said.
Okpalaezeukwu also said their investigations show the presence of a robust and carefully designed security architecture, which has liberated virtually all the communities and LGAs in Anambra.
He also noted the involvement of Anambra youths in the local security operations, advising that technology and more Non-Kinetic measures be done in this area, especially as it concerns the speedy dispensation of justice so that many of our youths who are being held in various detention centers without trial can be expeditiously tried. Those innocent are released to make something good out of their lives.
The youths urged the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA), the Attorney General of the Federation(AGF), the Chief Judge of Nigeria(CJN), and other appropriate quarters to expeditiously consider and address these challenges in the interest of national peace.
The Igbo youths also used the opportunity to announce the constitution of the OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTHS WING BURIAL COMMITTEE for the late Ohaneze Ndigbo President General, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, expressing their readiness to work in harmony with the National Planning Committee by SEGOF and LOC, as already constituted, for the burial of the departed Legend.
They congratulated all the newly elected Chairmen and councilors in the Imo and Enugu States and urged them to deploy the huge resources available to them to bring development to the grassroots.
They urged other States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Rivers to ensure peaceful and successful LG council elections, noting that they will entertain no excuses for any laxity in delivering the dividends of democracy to people at the grassroots.
